Virginia Premises Liability Lawyer
Property owners and operators in Virginia have a legal duty to protect people against foreseeable dangers on their premises and to warn them of existing hazards. If you were injured on someone else’s property due to their negligent actions or inactions, work with an experienced Virginia premises liability lawyer from Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers. We can help you seek fair compensation for your economic and non-economic damages.
On This Page
- Why Work With an Attorney on Your Virginia Premises Liability Case?
- Why Choose Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers
- What Is a Premises Liability Case?
- Determining Fault in Premises Liability Cases
- What To Do After an Accident
- Compensation Available in Virginia Premises Liability Cases
- Trust the Experienced Virginia Premises Liability Attorneys at Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers
Virginia law allows those who get hurt on someone else’s property to seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. To prove your case, your attorney must show that the property or business owner, management company, or other party negligently maintained their premises.
Plaintiffs must overcome significant hurdles to win a premises liabilities claim in Virginia. Thus, it’s best to hire an attorney with extensive knowledge of Virginia law, deep experience negotiating with insurance companies, and the skill to fight aggressively in court. At Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers, our Virginia premises liability lawyers have a strong record of success helping clients in premises liability and other personal injury cases.
Why Work With an Attorney on Your Virginia Premises Liability Case?
You can file a claim on your own, but it is difficult to succeed without an in-depth knowledge of Virginia’s premises liability laws and experience working with insurance companies.
Insurance companies make money by denying claims or paying as little as possible. They are not on your side. Insurance companies often blame accident victims for their injuries, tell them they cannot win, or convince them to take a quick settlement that does not cover their damages.
You have enough to worry about after suffering an injury in an accident. Focus on your recovery. Let a premises liability lawyer in Virginia from Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers handle your claim and hold the negligent property owner accountable.
Why Choose Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers
At Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers, our attorneys have significant experience dealing with insurance companies and getting fair compensation for our clients. We use our combined 120 years of legal expertise to argue persuasively for our clients and combat the insurance company’s tactics. We have the resources to investigate your case and the legal knowledge to succeed.
Our founding partner, John M. Cooper, is a native Virginian with over 30 years of experience. Our lawyers have won recognition from prestigious organizations, including the Top 100 Trial Lawyers, Lawyers of Distinction, Top Lawyers of Coastal Virginia, and Super Lawyers.
Our mission is to help our injured accident victims by providing compassionate, exceptional service. Our case results demonstrate our commitment to working hard for our clients. We have recovered millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for our clients, including $6 million for a veteran paralyzed by a fall and $400,000 for an injured hotel guest.
We have offices throughout Hampton Roads, Virginia, and can also meet you at home or the hospital. When you need help pursuing compensation in a premises liability case, trust the personal injury attorneys at Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers to fight on your behalf.
What Is a Premises Liability Case?
Premises liability lawsuits provide a way for people hurt on someone else’s property to seek damages for injuries suffered because of someone else’s negligent actions or inactions. Injured parties can sue property or business owners, management companies, security firms, or others responsible for failing to maintain the area where the injury occurred or warn you of hazards.
There may be one or more parties responsible for your injuries. You can name all who are liable in your claim.
Types of Premises Liability Cases
Some common reasons for bringing premises liability claims include:
- Slip and falls
- Poorly maintained equipment
- Elevator and escalator accidents
- Dog bites
- Inadequate security
- Swimming pool accidents
- Falling objects
If you were hurt on someone else’s property because they failed to maintain it, partner with our experienced Virginia premises liability law firm so we can help you seek fair compensation.
Determining Fault in Premises Liability Cases
To win in a premises liability case, you must show that the other party was negligent in maintaining their property or warning you of hazards. You must prove four elements, including:
- The property owner or operator owed you a duty of care.
- They breached that duty.
- That breach caused your injuries.
- Your injuries led to damages such as medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, etc.
The duty of care the property owner must adhere to depends on why you were on the property. There are three classes of individuals who may be on properties in Virginia:
- Invitees are those invited to enter the property over a mutual business interest with the owner, such as shoppers at retail stores. The property owner must use ordinary care to keep his premises reasonably safe for an invitee.
- Licensees are those allowed onto the property for their own purposes, such as a social visit. The property owner is liable to a licensee only for injuries caused by active or affirmative negligence, or willful or wanton conduct.
- Trespassers are not invited to the property and have no legal reason to be there. Property owners owe them the lowest duty of care—to not intentionally or willfully injure them.
To show that the property owner or operator breached their duty of care, you must show that they knew or reasonably should have known about the hazard that led to your injuries.
You must also overcome Virginia’s contributory negligence burden to collect compensation. If you were even one percent responsible for your accident, the property owner is not liable for your damages.
What To Do After an Accident
Taking certain actions after your accident will help you prove your case for negligence and support your damages claim. If you have been in an accident on someone else’s property, do the following:
- Get medical attention. If you do not go to the hospital, see your doctor. Keep copies of all medical records.
- Take photos and videos of the hazard that caused your injuries. Make a note of the conditions.
- Ask someone in charge if you can file an incident report.
- Ask for contact information from any witnesses.
- Hire an experienced Virginia premises liability attorney to help you make your case.
Never talk to the other party’s insurance company without your lawyer present. They may use your words against you to argue that you contributed to your injuries. They may also offer a quick settlement before you realize the extent of your damages.
If negotiations fail, your attorney will ensure you file your lawsuit within Virginia’s two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims.
Compensation Available in Virginia Premises Liability Cases
In a Virginia premises liability claim, you can generally pursue economic and non-economic damages. These include the following:
- Medical expenses and rehabilitation costs
- Lost wages and future earnings
- Home or vehicle modifications to accommodate your injuries
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Disfigurement
The amount of damages available to you depends on the extent of your injuries and their effect on your finances, ability to work, and quality of life.
If a loved one has died from an accident on someone else’s property, you may be able to pursue a wrongful death action. In such a lawsuit, you can seek recovery of the deceased’s medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. You can also seek compensation for the family’s mental anguish, funeral and burial expenses, lost support and guidance, lost inheritance and benefits, and more.
Trust the Experienced Virginia Premises Liability Attorneys at Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers
If you need legal help following an accident on someone else’s property in Virginia, get your free case evaluation from Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers. We have the experience, resources, and negotiating skills to work with insurance companies and defendants’ attorneys. We will fight to prove your case in court if we cannot get you a fair settlement.
We have the following convenient locations throughout Hampton Roads:
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